History

Two Polish priest killed by a Communist group in Peru were among those recognized as martyrs by Pope Francis on Feb. 3. Father Michele Tomaszek and Father Zbigneo Strzalkowski of the Conventual Friars Minor, were killed Aug. 9, 1991, by the “Shining Path” terrorist group in Peru. At the time of their death, they were 31 and 33 years old, respectively.

Every December, a giant Christmas tree decorates St. Peter's Square. For years, only Italian regions gave it to the Vatican as a gift. But in 2008 this spruce came all the way from Piesting Valley, in Austria. It was 109 feet tall and had 120 years. After Austria, it was the turn of Belgium. In 2009, this fir of 89 feet and 6 tons came from the town of Spa. Italy also gave a spruce in 2010. More than 3,000 golden spheres were needed to decorate it.

Irish Catholic priest Fr John Therry not only laid the foundations of the Catholic Church in Australia, he also built St Mary's Chapel which would later be reconsecrated as St Mary's Cathedral in Sydney. He founded schools, lobbied for land on which to build churches, provided aid for the poor and oppressed and gave pastoral care and support to Sydney's growing number of Catholics. He also witnessed the repeal of penal laws preventing Catholics from holding office and welcomed the arrival of Australia's first bishop, the Most Rev John Bede Polding in 1834.

Saint Pope John Paul II had a "leading role" in bringing down the Berlin Wall, said Pope Francis after praying the Angelus with pilgrims in St. Peter's Square on the day the world celebrates the 25th anniversary of its fall, to a lengthy applause form pilgrims at the mention of the Polis Popes name.

The last person hanged for witchcraft in Boston could be considered a Catholic martyr. In the 1650s, Ann Glover and her family, along with some 50,000 other native Irish people, were enslaved by Englishman Oliver Cromwell during the occupation of Ireland and shipped to the island of Barbados, where they were sold as indentured servants.